10 Interesting Christopher Colombus Facts

Christopher Columbus was born in Genoa, Italy around 25 august and October 31, 1451 from father Domenico Colombo and mother Susanna Fontanarossa. He lived with his four brothers and he sailed since 10 years old. In this post, we are going to continue theChristopher Columbus facts with another 10 Columbus facts below
1. Christopher Columbus little name was Cristoforo Colombo and 4 years after he work as seafarer he sold charts and maps when his ship docked

Christopher Colombus

2. All His explorations were funded by Isabella I of Castile and his success marked the Spanish colonization that was marketed new world. The idea to sail the ocean and find new world came from one of his brother, Bartholomew.

Isabella I of Castile

3. Christopher Columbus is not first European who landed in Americas, It was the Norse led by Leif Ericson who was first landing in America 500 years before Columbus. Ericson built his colony in L’Anse aux meadows. Columbus was the first European diplomatic who sought new lands to dominate

Leif Ericson statue

4. One of hardest part of his voyage was recruiting new crews. Because of Churches doctrine, many sailors on Columbus’s time believe the earth is flat.

5. Columbus almost failed to sail if no prisoners wanted to take suspension reward of judicial proceedings offered by kingdom if they want to be Columbus crew. On his first voyage, he ride one carrack, Santa Maria (The gallega) and accompanied by 2 small caravels, Pinta and Santa Clara (the Nina)

Santa Maria,pinta,and santa clara

6. During his live, Columbus wrote two books. The first book was titled a Book of Privileges in 1502, which composed rewards he earned from his exploration and the second book, Book of Prophecies in 1505, which contain his achievements in live and the relation with Christianity.

Book of Privileges author Christopher Colombus

7. On his first voyage, he claimed one island and named it San Salvador, which is later known the Bahamas. In this island, he met his first native encounter with the Lucayan, Taíno or Arawak, that was luckily friendly and not a savage tribe. However, in this island, Columbus practiced genocidal manner and killing hundred of thousand taino until only 22,000 of them left. Some believe Columbus was a maniac.

San Salvador or Present time Bahamas

8. Christopher Columbus launched his first voyage in 3 August 1492, 2nd voyage in 24 September 1493, 3rd voyage was 30 May 1498, and 4th journey in 2 April 1502. On his 2nd journey, Columbus carried 17 ships and 1,200 men. Columbus need no Prisoners at this time.

Colombus map voyage

9. On 5 December 1502, on his 4th journey, Columbus and his crews was hit by storm near Panama he never faced before. it was so large so that Columbus and his crews should stranded in Panama for a year

10. According to 71 contemporary portrait of Columbus, he had reddish or blond hair, his face skin was red because of too much sun exposure, and he had light color eye. Columbus died while he was 54 years old or in 20 May 1506

Christopher Colombus potrait

You can find other facts about Christopher Columbus in other website and I hope you won’t surprise finding articles which might said that Columbus was megalomaniac, a first slave trader, Opium user, and Brutal man.